Demand For Doctors

Active In The Community

A Message From Cam McLennan

As a long time resident of North Saanich, I am passionate about the future of this municipality.

I want my kids (and grand kids) to be able to enjoy North Saanich life as I have. I want to work with property owners and developers to create truly attainable housing in zoning areas 1 (McTavish) and area 2 (Tsehum) as laid out in North Saanich bylaw 1352.

My time on Sidney council has given me great skills in negotiation when it comes to getting the best deal for the residents and developers. I also understand the intricate partnerships between non-profit organizations and for profit developers, that are key to creating attainable housing.

I feel that these are the best places in North Saanich to create these type of attainable housing projects, as they are close to Sidney's amenities, and are near to transportation routes. This is key to any successful attainable project.

Some may say that I am pro development, due to my voting pattern while on Sidney council, and they would be right... I believe that Sidney is the place for densification. I am in favour of higher density in Sidney's down town core, but that is because Sidney is the urban centre for the Saanich Peninsula, and that is where the growth should be.

Sidney takes on the brunt of development, so North Saanich can remain rural. Small commercial hubs (i.e. Deep Cove and Mctavish) surrounded by beautiful large lot residential, and diverse agriculture lands is what North Saanich is all about.

I want to work with businesses in North Saanich, and come up with ways that we can improve the environment to nurture more business growth in the municipality.

Doctors are a real issue on the Saanich Peninsula, we have over fifteen thousand residents without a family doctor. I was one of the five Councillors in Sidney that voted in favour of a short term loan to the Peninsula Medical Clinic, so it could remain open and could attract more doctors to Sidney.

I want to work with the Provincial Government to change legislation to allow municipalities to support private doctors. (I met with Adrian Dix, BC Health Minister on September 11/2018) to discuss ways in which municipalities can support new doctors, such as subsidized rents.
One idea could be that the municipality receives a unit in a new development in return for more density.

The municipality could then subsidize the rent of that unit to a new physician moving to our community, to help get them on their feet. Or helping out with their school debt.

Currently municipalities have very few tools within their means to attract new doctors. I want to work with you to make North Saanich an even better place to live work and play.

About Cam McLennan

My name is Cam McLennan and I am running for North Saanich council.

I was born at Saanich Peninsula Hospital, and have lived in North Saanich and the surrounding area my whole life. As an adolescent, I spent most days hanging out in and around Deep Cove with friends and I have watched North Saanich grow over the years.

As North Saanich grows, it’s important to hold on to that rural municipality spirit. North Saanich is a special place, the kind of place where you can still say hello to people on the street and not get a weird look in return. I have been fortunate enough in life to do some traveling, and there are not too many places like North Saanich.